遠とお回まわし

と

お

ま

わ

し

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective, noun

roundabout; indirect; oblique

Describes speech, expression, or reference that avoids directness; often used with 言い方, 表現, or 批判. Functions as a な-adjective or noun.

彼かれは遠とお回まわしな言いい方かたで不ふ満まんを伝つたえた。
He expressed his dissatisfaction in a roundabout way.

遠とお回まわしに批ひ判はんするより、はっきり言いったほうがいい。

Instead of criticizing indirectly, it's better to say it clearly.

Written forms

遠とお回まわしUsage34%
Standard kanji spelling with high news frequency.
遠とおまわしUsage63%
Common mixed kana-kanji spelling; the okurigana まわし makes the reading clear.
遠とお廻まわしUsage4%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form using the older 廻 character; not used in modern writing.

Kanji

遠distant, far
回-times, round, game
廻round, game, revolve

Similar words

婉えん曲きょく
婉曲 is more formal and often used in written or polite contexts for euphemistic or tactful indirectness, while 遠回し is a common everyday term for roundabout speech.
間かん接せつ的てき
間接的 means 'indirect' in a broader sense (e.g., indirect cause, indirect method), whereas 遠回し is specifically about roundabout verbal expression.

Etymology

Compound of 遠 (とお, 'far') + 回し (まわし, nominalized form of 回す, 'to turn, send around'). Literally 'sending around the long way', referring to speech that takes a circuitous route instead of being direct.